Child Care Referrals

Family Resource & Referral Center can help you find child care in San Joaquin County! We provide free, professional referrals (not recommendations) to licensed child care providers.

We are the source in San Joaquin County for finding the right information about care for your child. Whether you have only a few questions, or you simply don’t know where to start, we can help. By phone, online, or in person, we will assist you in obtaining the information you need.

There are different types of child care, from child care centers and licensed family child care to in-home care. Some care providers are licensed, while others are not. Licensing does not ensure quality, but it does provide guidelines for health and safety. If you take the time to look carefully, you can find quality care for your child in any of these settings.

Family Child Care

is offered in the home of the caregiver, who is often a parent. The provider can care for up to 8 children, depending on their ages. The provider can care for 4 children under two years of age, or for 6 children of varying ages (only 3 can be under the age of two). With an adult assistant, a family child care home can be licensed for up to 14 children. Many offer flexible hours and academic or child development programs. Call us or fill out our Online Referral Form to find a Family Child Care Home near you!

Child Care Centers

(sometimes called nursery schools or preschool programs) provide care for children - all or part of the day. Centers can provide care for infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and school-aged children. Centers can be large or small and can be operated independently or by a church or other organization.

In-Home Care

is a friend, relative, babysitter, or nanny who cares for your child in your home, full-time or part-time.

Head Start

is available to low-income families for children between the ages of 3 and 5. In addition to child care and early learning programs, these half-day sessions also offer health care and parent training. Visit the Head Start Child Development Council, Inc. website or call us to find out more!

Sick Care

is available in some communities for children who, due to illness, cannot attend school or go to their regular day care.

Before/After School Care

is available at many elementary schools and other sites for parents who need to drop off their school-aged children before school begins or leave them at school until the end of the workday.